The Heart of the Range eBook

“Take the trail south,” said Chuck Morgan,
and backed his horse in a wide half-circle.

Racey did as he was ordered. Three minutes later
he was joined by his friend. Until the trail
took them down into a draw grown up in spruce Chuck’s
gun remained very much in evidence. Any unbiased
spectator without a knowledge of the facts would have
said that he was keeping a close watch on Racey Dawson.

Once out of sight of the house of McFluke, Chuck sheathed
his sixshooter with a jerk and returned Racey’s
gun.

“You did fine at the last,” Racey said,
admiringly, as he bolstered his weapon. “But
what did you jump McFluke for thataway at first?
That come almighty near kicking the kettle over, that
play did.”

“I know,” said Chuck, shamefacedly, “and
when I rode up to the shack I hadn’t intended
anything like that. But when I saw that slickery
juniper McFluke standing there behind the bar so fat
and sassy, it come over me all of a sudden what he’d
done to the Dale family by letting old Dale have whiskey,
that I couldn’t help myself. Gawd, I wanted
to knock him down and tromp his face flat as a floor.
It ain’t as if McFluke ain’t been told
about old Dale’s failing. I warned him
when he first came here last year not to let old Dale
have redeye on any account.”

“I know,” nodded Racey, soberly, “but
you want to remember his giving old Dale whiskey ain’t
the particular cow we’re after. There’s
more to it than that, a whole lot more. We’ve
got to be a li’l careful, Chuck, and go a li’l
slow. If we go having a fraycas now they’ll
get suspicious and go fussbudgettin’ round like
a hound-dog after quail.”

“Just as if they won’t suspicion something’s
up soon as Peaches Austin gets back to Farewell.”

“Peaches Austin ain’t going back to Farewell
right away. I’ve fixed Peaches for a few
days. And a few days is all I need to find out
what I want to. And even after Peaches does float
in will he know me after I’ve changed my shirt,
dirtied my hat, and got me a clean shave twice over?
He ain’t got no idea what I look like under the
whiskers. He wasn’t living in Farewell
before I went north, so all he knows about me is my
voice and my hoss. It will shore be the worst
kind of luck if I can’t keep Peaches from hearing
the one and seeing the other until after I’m
ready. You leave it to yore uncle, Chuck.
He knows.”

“He’s a great man, my uncle,” assented
Chuck, and struck a derisive tongue in his cheek.
“What did you find out from McFluke—­anything?”

“Anything? Gimme a match and I’ll
tell you.”

CHAPTER VI

CHANGE OF PLAN

“It’s a long way to Arizona,” offered
Racey Dawson, casually—­too casually.

Swing Tunstall’s bristle-haired head jerked
round. Swing bent two suspicious eyes upon his
friend. “You just find it out?” he
queried.